


This Undercover Mask

by TellTaleThief



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, But like a line or two, F/M, One Shot, Sleeping Dogs AU, Undercover, shumako, shumako hints
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:41:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25642210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TellTaleThief/pseuds/TellTaleThief
Summary: Officer Ren Amamiya is tasked with infiltrating a growing crime syndicate growing within Tokyo posing as one of their own, attempting to rise up in the underworld. Working as both the dutiful undercover cop and ruthless foot soldier for the Mafia starts to take a toll on Ren, and he desperately attempts to regain some sanity through it all by working cases given by the rising Inspector, Makoto Niijima. She begrudgingly works with and assigns him cases, unaware that she becomes one the sole pillars that prevent Ren’s humanity from breaking apart. One shot based off the game Sleeping Dogs
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Niijima Makoto, Kurusu Akira/Niijima Makoto, Niijima Makoto/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 4
Kudos: 23





	This Undercover Mask

**Author's Note:**

> Basically writing this as my own way of coping with the Post-Persona depression. Loved Royal and loved Shumako to bits and started to think of different AU's and what roles they would fit in. Basically writing this to flesh out one of those AU's and have some fun with it. First time writing and posting, so let's see how this goes!

Ren Amamiya shivered as he stared off into space, waiting for what came next. Left alone in a boxed room with fluorescent lights shining down on him, a silver table that he was handcuffed to, a chair on the opposite side of him, and a camera in the corner blinking red every other second. The blood from his cuts were starting to coagulate, and the bruises began to ache as the adrenaline dwindled. He fiddled with the cuffs around his wrists as he reflected on the events that took place in the past few hours.

* * *

Several police officers had him cornered on a rooftop with their weapons drawn as they ordered him to get on his knees and put his hands behind his head. He would’ve definitely seen them coming if he wasn’t so focused on beating up that damned punk Masa, slamming him against the back of a restaurant's glowing neon yellow sign. He hardly noticed the overwhelming smell of the pouring rain or the blood on the restaurant's rooftop, the bruises on his face and torso, he didn’t even notice the cut he had on his arm when one of Masa’s friends cut him with a butcher’s knife. He didn’t notice how they were all strung out, bloody and unconscious, some of them near death’s door.

And sure, he didn’t have to slam one guy’s face in the AC unit, or stab another one with his own butcher's knife, and he didn’t have to repeatedly slam Masa against the neon sign which, Ren dreadfully suspected, belonged to his favorite ramen restaurant in Shinjuku. 

He most certainly did NOT have to do all those extra flips and extravagant kicks while he danced around Masa’s men, but  _goddamn_ it felt good to finally pummel the punk. Ren was furious that he had give chase around what felt like all the alleyways Shinjuku had to offer before finally cornering him on a rooftop. Or more accurately, running straight into Masa’s own den of thugs. All seven of them lined up with their  guard up. Some even had knives drawn. Ren never gave it a second thought. He needed a good way to vent and there they were, all wrapped up in a nice little bow.

It was meant to be a simple mission. Find Masa, who suddenly got friendly with another one of the lieutenants in the syndicate that was overstepping his boundaries. Ren was ordered to “confront” Masa on the errors of his ways. It was work for a grunt, anyone could do it, but he had to bide his time if he wanted to climb up the ladder in the Red Dragon Syndicate. He  _had_ to start gaining the trust of those around him, lest they start raising suspicions since they recently became distrustful of fresh faced recruits. 

Turns out the last guy they let in was secretly an undercover cop, and they didn’t grant him a quick death. Ren had recalled one of the conversations with another one of the grunts through an alleyway. 

> _Tall and lanky, wore a black tank top with over-sized black jeans, using a black fedora on what Ren suspected was an already balding black head of hair. His fake gold chain bouncing as he was practicing his swings with a baseball bat. _
> 
> _ “He came out of nowhere, had a good story. Didn’t really talk much.” He said while he shouldered his baseball bat. He was getting under Ren’s skin as the pair made their way to muscle some poor fool that was late on his payments.  _
> 
> _ “Turns out he was a cop.” He turned to Ren. “That’s why he didn't kill anybody, see? Now we know how to spot a rat.” _
> 
> _ Ren grew tired with this guy’s ‘intimidation’ speech. “You talk a lot, you know that?” The guy just shrugged back at him with a smirk. _
> 
> _ “You know what happens to rats right? After they’re done torturing them, we bury them alive. Six feet under, nobody coming for you.” _
> 
> _ “Go fuck yourself” Ren spat. _
> 
> _ “I still think about that poor fucker sometimes.” He cocked his head back to Ren, “Hope you’re not a rat.” _

So far, Ren gave them a convincing show. No one had suspected that he was another cop undercover. Managing to scrape by, he was slowly working his way into the lower parts of a crime syndicate operating within Tokyo. But all it took was one wrong move and he too would be buried alive. Or, alternatively, he would be where he was now. Locked up in a box waiting for a dreadfully pointless interrogation.

* * *

Ren shifted his focus on the present. The bruises began to ache even more, he had started getting a headache, and his throat was killing him. Attempts to slick back loose strands of hair were stopped by the jerk of his handcuffs.  _‘Thirsty. Sore. And EVERY type of miserable. Good job Ren, fantastic way to end the night.’_

And he was so  _damned cold!_ Ren shivered again for what felt like the fifth time in the past minute.  _‘They could’ve at least let me keep my jacket.’_ It’s not like there was anything incriminating in it - no weapons, no drugs, nothing. All it had were the keys to his apartment and a flyer for some karaoke bar he was interested in for some reason he couldn’t explain himself. All that remained on Ren Amamiya was a white tank top, some black jeans with a red belt, and some plain old beat-up sneakers. 

Again his body shivered.  _‘God they must be screwing with me here, this is taking WAY too long.’_

Any remaining thoughts were interrupted when the door swung open and a woman walked in the room, file in hand. Ren sat up just a bit straighter. He wasn’t sure if it was the authoritative presence that she gave off, or those piercing red eyes that commanded the room to give her their full attention. 

She wore a white button down with a black - _‘_ _No... dark blue?’_ \- coat and slacks. She sat across from him and opened the file, briefly glancing over it once before she tucked a bit of brunette hair behind her ear and looked straight at him. 

Ren’s breathing  hitched, and his throat started acting up, sending him into a brief coughing fit.  _‘God damn this thirst.’_

“Ren Amamiya. I’m Inspector Niijima. You’ve got quite a history here.” Ren didn’t say a word in response. She shifted her head down, reading off the file as she continued. “Multiple arrests in various cities, alleged ties to organized crimes, long history of other felonies…and now here you are, enforcing for the Red Dragon Syndicate.”

Ren shook his head and quietly laughed to himself. Typical beat-for-beat opening for an interrogation, but it was all in vain. Nijima wouldn’t know he’d be bailed out of here by this time tomorrow.

Niijima shook her head and sighed. “You know you don’t have to throw away your life like this. If you cooperate with us you can do the right thing and maybe it will lighten your sentence.”

He was surprised that she tried to appeal to whatever morals she believed a thug like him could have,  _before_ proposing to lighten the sentence. Either he wasn’t that convincing of being the ‘beyond saving’ Syndicate grunt he needed to be right now, or she had more faith in appealing to people’s sense of justice. It was a little heart warming that she held some semblance in hope in people.

Or maybe it was absolutely just her playing the ‘good cop’ card. 

Ren shifted in his seat, putting back on his mask that fit the role he was assigned to. “You’re absolutely right officer.” He laughed and stared above the cute french braid on her head, daydreaming to himself. “I really could’ve been something. Someone! I really could’ve made it if I hadn’t dropped out of high school, I can see that now.” He looked back at the pair of crimson eyes that were glowing with an  ascending  fury the more he ran his mouth. Ren faced both palms up as far as the handcuffs would allow and bowed his head, mockingly praising her. “Thank you officer, for showing me the light!” Her patience snapped.

She stood and slammed against the table. “I am giving you a chance here Amamiya, work with me here and maybe you won’t rot the rest of your days in a cell or worse. Do **NOT** waste this chance it on some dumb joke and kindly **DROP THE ACT!** ”

_‘Quite the temper…’_ Ren mused to himself before he slumped into his seat . _‘Keep stoking the flames and maybe I’ll get myself some extra sleep in confinement tonight.’_

“All you had to do was ask-”, Ren amusement was interrupted as a new figure opened the door and entered the room.

The man wore a tan suit with black trousers, a black tie, and black leather gloves. Brown hair which length reached the base of his neck, and brown eyes that surveyed the room glancing between both Niijima and Ren. She immediately faced him, “Oh, Superintendent Akechi. I was just starting an interrogation.” Shifting her focus back on to Ren with a fierce scowl. He noticed how she was shifting her weight from one foot to the other.  _‘...She looks like she’s preparing to beat me into next week....’ _ Ren thought.

“Inspector Niijima, there has been a misunderstanding.” Akechi spoke, walking over to the camera, before reaching up to turn it off. 

She furrowed her brows, “Misunderstanding sir?”

“As your superior officer, I am instructing you to release this man.” Akechi ordered.

“But sir I have it  _on record_ that he’s with the Red Dragon Syndicate!” 

“I understand that.”

She was now frustrated with both men in the room. One arrogant, stubborn thug was enough, but now all of a sudden her equally irritating higher-up had just ordered her to let a criminal walk! Like hell she was! “ _Sir,_ ”  she spoke with a higher volume, “I can’t just cut him loose!” Her voice continued to climb, almost matching the one she had just used to interrogate Ren. She raised a finger against Akechi, “You’re asking me to release a criminal with  **known** connections with the mafia. Not only is this against protocol, it’s-!”

Akechi's patience broke, “For God’s sake Niijima, he’s one of us!” His sentence hung the room in dead silence. Both Ren and Niijima let their mouths drop. 

“What...?” her volume lowered, but still maintained the edge.

“Jesus, Akechi! Here, let me get the door!” Ren shouted. “There’s a few badges outside who didn’t hear what you said!” 

Akechi closed his eyes and straightened out his jacket. “At ease Mr. Amamiya, we can trust her,” he calmly said as he walked over to Ren to unlock the handcuffs.

“Trust her? I just met her!!”

Akechi ignored his outburst and took his position at the head of the table with the remaining parties to his sides. Ren stayed in his seat massaging his head at what just happened.  _‘The hell are you doing Akechi? Just what the **hell** are you doing?’ _ He would’ve much preferred the predictable interrogation instead of this. 

Niijima was still standing with her fist clenched at her sides. Akechi looked directly at her, maintaining a neutral face. “Congratulations Inspector Niijima, so now you know. Maybe now we can make sure you’re  helping Mr. Amamiya, instead of making his job harder than it already is, yes?”

She scoffed and shook her head, “Doesn’t look like I have much of a choice!”

“No. No you don’t inspector. Now, if you would see yourself out.”

Her fist was starting to shake now.  _‘You sure got a knack for pissing people off Akechi...'_ Ren thought. ' _W_ _hy the hell are you getting me out now? You could’ve just waited until **after** the interrogation, and now you got someone else in on this whole fucking mess.’ _

“Permission to speak freely Superintendent?” She demanded.

“Denied.” Silence lingered in the room once more.

She glared daggers at Akechi, then did the same for  Ren. She swiftly grabbed the file from the table and slammed the door on her way out, shaking the entire interrogation room.

Akechi sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, “Honestly Mr. Amamiya, I expected more from you. I would suggest that you _not_ be so reckless and avoid being arrested again.” 

“Akech-”

“I don’t want to hear it.”

And Ren wasn’t having any of this anymore. He got up and marched towards the door. He heard Akechi continue on as he was leaving, 

“I cannot guarantee that I can bail you out of a mess like this again.”

* * *

** (One week later) **

Makoto Niijima turned off her bike and took out a thermos out of her backpack before she climbed the stairs up to the police precinct. Thanks to the infuriating standoff with the Superintendent, she ended up assigning and completing a mountain of paperwork to distract her from the interrogation. She continued working that pace for another day. And then the whole week.

It wasn't the first time she stood off against Akechi, always seeming to barge in unannounced and  pushed her around and away from whatever shady business he had. More often than not it involved people like  _Amamiya_.  She didn’t forget all the other “associates” that came from Akechi. Equally as arrogant and equally as obnoxious. Some even had the gall to try and hit on her when she was running around trying to put out the fires that  _they created_. The past week wasn’t the first time she overloaded herself with work trying to find some peace of mind. She figured it wouldn’t be the last either.

Realizing that if she gripped the thermos any harder it would’ve caved, she closed her eyes and steeled her nerves before walking in the elevator. By the time she walked into her squad’s floor she took another large swig of her coffee, hoping that the caffine would finally kick in and help her regain some energy and focus. 

She then found an unfamiliar mess of hair in her sights, staring at one of the bulletin boards. As she was walking up closer to inspect, the man turned around and she met his eyes.  _Silver eyes_. She sighed. As much as she was angry at him that day, she was more angry at being pushed around yet again, and with her being more or less powerless to do a damn thing about it. Although that smug attitude didn’t do him any favors.

“What are you doing here Amamiya? I’m sure you of all people would be busy with the superintendent with whatever top-secret, shady business you two deal with.” She winced slightly opening up their arguably first real workplace interaction with such a hostile tone instead of her usual professional one. But he didn’t have to be such an ass in the interrogation room…But it was technically his job to be an ass regardless... _Damn_ she needed sleep.

He looked to the floor for a second before he scratched the back of his head. When he put his arm back down, he looked right back at her with tired eyes. “Look, I’m sorry about how I  acted in there. I was just playing the part, you know?” He glanced back at the board, eyes tracing the connecting lines. “I’m already out there on the street and hearing things like this drug racketeering. I know who to talk to to get more intel on this case, so I was hoping I would help lend a hand and see what I could dig up.” 

He pointed to a pinned case she knew was making slow progress. Or rather, it wasn’t making any progress at all. She couldn’t blame the officer in charge, she knew how difficult it was getting any sort of traction anywhere as of late. And here Amamiya was, offering her the opportunity to gather more solid intel than she could have within the past few months combined. 

_'Oh.'_ She thought. _'Well this is a surprise.'_

She eyed him up and down. The thug she saw in the interrogation was almost completely abandoned. He had a simple white button down shirt left unbuttoned with his sleeves rolled up covering the tattoos, wearing a black shirt underneath. Blue jeans paired with brown boots. Instead of the slicked back hairstyle, he adopted a more chaotic mop of hair. However, the intensity in his eyes were still present, that hadn’t changed; Even with the large pair of glasses he’d adopted. He looked and acted completely different from the criminal she met in the interrogation room. He looked more...tame? That was the best guess she could give under the circumstances.

She cocked an eyebrow. “You’re going to help? Just like that?”

He nodded back at her, “Just like that. How’s that for a peace offering?”

All she could do was scoff and shake her head in disbelief. If he looked for it he might’ve made out a faint smile across her lips.

It was his turn to raise an eyebrow. “What?”

She eyed him carefully. “It’s just that I’m used to Akechi’s people being more like um… well, him.” Came her response out loud. 

_‘Fully arrogant, borderline elitist, patronizing-‘_ her thoughts finished what her mouth didn’t say. She didn't dare criticize a superior officer out loud, regardless of who they were.

“Truth be told I don’t really know him that well. I first met him when I first took on this assignment awhile back.” He rubbed a lock of his hair. “Plus...I just think we’d be better off helping each other.” He reached his hand out and gave a bright smile. “What do you say?”

Okay, she was now  _certain_ the lack of sleep was getting to her because there’s _no_ _ way _ her heart would skip a beat over something so trivial as a smile. Maybe she was relieved that Amamiya wasn't being as difficult as the others before him? That had to be it. That, and the fact that he was  actually  _offering_ assistance in some of the cases that hit a roadblock. Brushing that...unusual feeling aside, she could at least sense that he was being earnest. He played the part of a criminal well, but he looked eager to act on his duty as a cop where he can. Given his position he could be a great asset. Just maybe…

She took his hand and shook it. “I could actually use the help if you’re willing to give it.” 

Another smile from him. “Alright, let’s see what I do.”

_Another damn skip of her heartbeat_.  Again she brushed it off and let go of his hand. “I’ll get you connected to my lead officer on the case when you come up with something.”

He stiffened up a little. She caught on to what he was thinking, “Don’t worry, I won’t give out any more details than I have to. Your secret’s safe with me. Either way I don’t think he’d question it all that much. This case has been driving him insane these past four months, I’m sure he’d be more excited at a new development.” 

She saw him release his breath. “That actually means a lot, thanks. And don’t worry, I’ll get something you can work with. I guarantee it”

* * *

After giving the brief, she secluded herself in the office. She was wide awake now, it was as if she finally got some semblance of a break she needed. Amamiya was giving her more support than he would ever realize. He didn’t know how much these cases were bringing her squad down and casting them into a demoralizing slump. She recalled just yesterday one of the officers offhandedly joked about the hopelessness of it all.  _“I don’t know inspector_ _. Maybe I should just give it up and try my hand at traffic control.”_ He laughed, but she was well aware how heavily it was weighing on his shoulders. On all of her squad's shoulders.

She hated seeing them like that. She hated that she couldn’t do much because she knows they are trying their best. As much as she cared about bringing down rotten criminals lurking about in the shadows, she cared about the well being and success of her squad mates as well. 

She was still somewhat weary of Amamiya, but did offer to build the bridge between the two first. If it all went wrong, if her intuitions on Amamiya were wrong and he was like all the other idiots of Akechi’s... Well, she knew how to deal with annoyances. 

But if it all went right... the squad’s spirit would lift, they would be back on track and clean up the scum of the Earth, and most of all she could potentially gain a new and invaluable ally.

She dared herself to hope for the best and smiled. “Alright then Mr. Amamiya. Let’s see if you can deliver.”

**Author's Note:**

> So, in an attempt to explain how Ren would go from muscling in the streets for the mafia one day, to working for the cops in the other (Both in broad daylight), I decided to give him the Clark Kent treatment and have his appearance change between the two. Also just wanted an excuse to use Ren's Yakuza look: https://imgur.com/r/Persona5/TqF4F
> 
> Again, this was just a one shot that played a little into Joker and Queen in a Sleeping Dogs AU. Not sure if this will be expanded in the future, but if it were I imagine it would explore smaller/fun moments like singing "I Fought the Law" in a karaoke bar, to the toll Ren takes to wear the undercover mask, the repercussions from clashing with the police with Makoto, etc. 
> 
> Until then, I hoped you enjoyed!


End file.
